


all of this and nothing

by shumin



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Date-Not-Date, First Meetings, M/M, fashion designer!sehun, light fluff, minseok is cute, mua!minseok, sehun is an emo bastard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-11-29 10:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18221966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shumin/pseuds/shumin
Summary: Sehun would be smart to walk away, but Minseok is quicksand.





	all of this and nothing

_Sehun’s legs carry him closer and closer to the stranger’s table. And when he’s trespassed into the man’s personal space, his face suddenly appearing angelic under the light, Sehun just thinks fuck it._

 

 

An overwhelming feeling strikes Sehun on a chilly November night. It’s not the first time, but it always leaves him cold and desolate, and despite the streets buzzing with life, he can’t seem to console himself.

Earlier in the evening, he was out drinking the stress away with some of his co-workers, or more like them downing shot after shot and attempting to dance while he watched from a distance, even opening his camera app and capturing their foolishness. He wished he had as much alcohol as they did to distract him from his thoughts, but, unfortunately for Sehun, he was the designated driver. He usually didn’t mind, he liked when people depended on him and it saved him from potential—and when you have friends like Chanyeol, eternal—embarrassment. 

He enjoyed the company and it gave him something to think about other than his feelings. It’s a little hard to describe; he can’t really put a word to it other than empty. Sehun feels like his insides are nonexistent, like his skin is just a shell protecting a void inside him. He doesn’t know when it started, either. It seeped into him slowly, quietly, all while he was unaware of its potential until suddenly he was hungry for a piece of someone’s soul.

Sehun sighs as he grabs his phone from the bedside table next to his bed and unlocks it, frantically lowering the brightness settings while his eyes adjust to the light. The timestamp reads 2:06 AM, and Sehun curses. If he doesn’t fall asleep within the next 30 minutes, he’s going to be extremely late for work. 

Work is one of the other things that constantly saves Sehun from the impending doom of his thoughts. Being caught up in his designing job, his passion, is less agitating than thinking about his somewhat non-existent love life. It gives him a release and allows him to express himself as he pleases. There’s no denying the freedom that comes with having a pencil in his hand and a blank paper in front of him. 

Sehun interned and, after graduating last May, worked as an assistant designer in an apparel company. Sehun was confident about getting the job, but he didn't expect to land such a high-ranking position. He was told his creativity, artistic skills, and attention to detail were great assets in an ever-changing industry. Sehun’s boss, Joonmyun, had relayed to him time and time again that the higher-ups were astonished by his portfolio, that his pieces evoked emotion. Sehun had scoffed at the comment; he doesn’t remember the last time he himself felt anything other than lonely. 

But after much deliberation, he supposes loneliness is an emotion, too.

One of his best work experiences was the first fashion show he participated in. It wasn’t the first show the company had hosted, but it was definitely Sehun’s first time working on something so grand. He was still a newbie to the company so he didn’t design anything for that collection. He was assigned to pick the best clothing for the models and adorn them with fitting jewelry so they’d look as poised as possible for their big walk.

The second best was when he met Jongin.

Jongin was a pretty famous model and was most known for his amazing figure, graceful walk, and the wide range of emotions he could communicate through the camera. More than once, he had been on the cover of renowned magazine spreads, and he looked absolutely breathtaking on every single one. The fact that he photographs beautifully just wasn't up for debate.

So when Jongin showed up to the fitting room, late, ash brown hair a mess, and slightly out of breath, Sehun couldn't help falling as fast as he did.

Endlessly apologizing for his tardiness, Jongin displayed a side Sehun never knew existed. And Sehun was immediately intrigued by him, because despite all of Jongin’s sharp angles and his alluring aura, he was so different, so cute in person.

Sehun would spend longer than usual dressing and embellishing him, all the while actually wanting to get his hands on him. The feeling of a compliant Jongin’s toned arms and soft, slender torso under Sehun’s ravenous hands was like heaven. 

Their relationship was mostly professional but they discovered they actually had some common ground. Sehun would tell Jongin about his favorite brands and runway shows—Jongin being totally oblivious of the fact that he modeled for almost all of them—and Jongin would tell him about his favorite outfits and give him a little insight about his personal style.

Sehun tried to not overstep his boundaries, he really did, but it was a challenge he wasn't sure he could take on. 

He recalls getting too lost in the feeling once. A couple of days before the fashion show, Sehun let his hands linger more than they should have.

Jongin’s back was towards Sehun, letting him tie up the strings of his blouse. It was a little loose, off-shoulder piece, and the curve between Jongin’s neck and shoulder was just too tempting; and Sehun just wanted to touch. His mind was racing. 

What if they never book Jongin again? What if he forgets Sehun? Surely, a man as successful as he is, had more important things to worry about. What if—

He couldn’t help moving forward, planting a soft kiss on that divine spot. Jongin suddenly turned, his expression slightly confused, and when it looked like he was just about to question Sehun’s intentions, the latter had almost closed the distance between them. 

Sehun was a sweet guy, Jongin said, smiling, but the look in his eye made Sehun feel like he was a little sorry for him. He didn't, couldn't, hear the rest of what the model said; Sehun's heart was already broken.

He bottled up his emotions, “just until the show ends,” he'd tell himself. But when it was over, he talked Chanyeol and Joonmyun’s ears off about how much he didn’t care and that it was Jongin’s loss, but underneath his brash attitude, he’s thankful he had his friends to bolster his hurt pride and restore his spirit. 

Sehun would be lying if he said he had a practical reason to feel as lonely as he does. He has a nice, profitable job, good friends, and he’s pretty attractive if he were honest. So why does he always feel like he’s missing something? 

He’s startled when he gets a notification from one of his apps, more specifically, his dating app. He’s just been swiped right at. Sehun wonders why he even still has this app downloaded after all the disappointments he’s met through it. He’s not going to lie, he’s had some sweet and short encounters—one-time dinners, sex, or even pretending to be someone’s boyfriend at social functions. And some were boring or just plain weird.

The thing is, none of them lasted, not for very long. He’d always feel so distant, like his mind was somewhere else and what’s left behind is a caricature filling in for him. He rarely felt a connection with someone, and Sehun was tired of dressing to impress and pretending like anyone he’s met so far could satisfy his insatiable self.

He tells himself those days are behind him, and yet he can never get himself to delete his profile. If he can’t get what he needs from it, then he might as well _have fun with it.*_

__

__

_(*read: sass the people in his inbox) ___

____

 

_“Hey. my girlfriend and i are thinking of having a threesome and were wondering if you’d be up for it. You’re our type.”_

_“Keep me out of your heterosexual bullshit”_

_“Hey beautiful. Wanna hook up?”_

_“No.”_

_“Your hot”_

_“It’s you’re* and i know”_

Even for someone as mundane as Sehun, it was all becoming too monotonous. He knows better than to believe in true love or a soulmate, but in the end, he’s human and he craves something beautiful, fulfilling, _real._

He feels a chill run down his spine and instinctively reaches for and wraps his blanket around him, then locks his phone after setting his 8:00 AM alarms. That night, Sehun holds his pillow tight and dreams of a warmer tomorrow. 

 

 

When Sehun arrives at the workshop late the next morning, he knows he’ll be hearing a few words from a certain someone. The team is nearing the deadline for one of their more trendy projects, and they can’t afford any more slacking. The sunlight coming through the windows reveals just how messy the place was. Various fabrics are pinned to different mannequins and scattered everywhere. Sehun greets the few people working on the sewing machines as he approaches his own bench, but they can’t really hear him over the sound. He’s in the middle of setting up the machine when his boss walks in. 

“Someone missed their alarm again?” Joonmyun beams at him, too brightly for Sehun’s exhausted self. He wonders how Joonmyun can be so cheerful on a Monday, and every other day as a matter of fact. Sehun would be lying if he said the elder’s radiance didn’t touch him, though.

Joonmyun works as a stylist for the company, and is also in charge of themes for the company’s collections. He was the first person to express his happiness to Sehun when the younger was made part of the designing team, going on an endless rant about how their aesthetics fit so well together. And he is right; working with Joonmyun has been nothing but a unique experience. With one’s expertise and the other’s individualism, they made an excellent team. 

He doesn’t often show it, but his presence means the world to Sehun. Whenever Sehun faces artist’s block, struggles with the sewing machine, or even has trouble deciding which photos he should post on his Instagram, Joonmyun has always been there.

“Sorry, hyung.” he says as he reclines back into his comfy chair. “I overslept. I was up too late.”

“You really need to be on time, especially for the next few days,” Joonmyun says seriously, with a hint of irritation in his voice that is not directed at Sehun. “The directress was all over my ass about how you need to finish up the last batch of designs. The material’s already decided on, so we can start on sizing and then production right after.”

“Actually,” Sehun’s smile is smug, but something about being told to do his job when he’s already doing it makes his eye twitch. “we’ve already started working on sizing. This stuff takes a while, you know.”

“Oh?” Joonmyun lifts one of his eyebrows in surprise. “I suppose you’ve always been quite the overachiever.” His tone is playful and Sehun feels warm. “I’m kind of surprised you’re ahead. You kinda introduced a ton of different ideas during the last meeting.”

“I was just trying to save our theme! It’s the directress’ fault for listening to some marketing guy about potential future trends.” Sehun remembers being strongly against the idea of replacing all the latex with lace. “It went from badass bikers to slutty office workers!” 

Joonmyun laughs at his sudden outburst. “Well, whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll turn out great since you’re working on it. You never disappoint, Sehunnie.”

Sehun pouts at the nickname and Joonmyun can’t ignore the urge to ruffle his long, black hair. “You’re so cute. How are you still single?”

“Oh, god,” Sehun groans, fixing the strands Joonmyun’s hand disturbed, “not this again.”

“What! It’s just a question!” Joonmyun fakes an offended expression and leans close to Sehun’s ear to whisper. “Baekhyunnie has a lot of friends I could introduce you to,” his lowers his voice and emphasizes. “ _really_ cute friends.”

“I’m telling Baekhyun-hyung you’re checking his friends out.”

Joonmyun laughs. “That’s a great idea.”

Sehun furrows his brows. “You want your boyfriend to know you’re interested in other people?”

“No, you meeting my boyfriend. I’ve talked a lot about you two to each other, and he seemed pretty interested in you.” Joonmyun’s tone isn’t pressuring, but purely suggestive. “What do you say? It’ll be like, I don’t know, two birds one nest…”

“Didn’t you just say we need to step our game up? And I’m going to be very honest with you,” Sehun retorts. “I have stooped far too low many times, but I am _never_ subjecting myself to the torture of third-wheeling.”

“Hey, it’s not third-wheeling if it’s a double date.” Joonmyun retaliates, and is immediately filled with regret the moment the words leave his mouth, because Sehun dramatically faces his friend, squints his eyes, and in a semi-threatening tone whispers. “Over my dead body.”

“Oh, come on, I’m not asking you to fall in love and get married,” Joonmyun remarks sarcastically. “I just think it’d be cool if you guys met, and at the same time you’ll have someone to save you from ‘third-wheeling torture.’”

“No way,” Sehun sighs, “I’d rather spend time with my dog.”

“Ugh, you’re impossible!” Joonmyun exclaims a little too loudly, earning him a weird look from the nearby employees.

“It’s not my fault your persuasion tactics are very...not persuasive.” Sehun teases. “Right now, Vivi sounds like much greater company than whatever it is you want to drag me into.”

“Fine,” Joonmyun gives him a determined look. “but if I worked on my ‘persuasion tactics,ʼ which are so bad according to you, would you say yes?”

“Hmm,” Sehun grins at his friend’s enthusiasm. “we’ll see.”

Joonmyun then receives a phone call he deems important and leaves, wishing Sehun good luck. He spends the next couple of hours working, measuring, sewing and finalizing the prototypes. When he’s pretty satisfied with the result, he writes down the measurements of each piece with several other details on paper, and places them in a file along with the finalized sketches of the designs. He drops it on the secretary’s desk with a little note declaring his work is done.

With nothing to do for the rest of his hours, Sehun starts sketching. He thinks about what kind of person Joonmyun thinks he’ll like.

Sehun himself doesn’t really know what he’s looking for, and it’s probably why he’s never into someone for so long, causing him to believe that he was doomed to what he calls ‘Eternal Loneliness of the Heart’. 

He’s never been to a double date, much less a blind double date, before. His mind is spiraling with all the ways things could go wrong. What if his date is weird? Or dry? Or worse, a STEM major? And considering his cautious nature, Sehun’s not sure he likes the idea too much.

 

 

Sehun moved out of his parents’ place for university and settled in a cozy little studio in a building in the same district. It was well lived-in, and with Sehun’s private nature on top of the years he spent acquiring his bachelor’s degree and one year of work, it’s safe to say his apartment was his haven. 

The place is prettily decorated with frames and fairy lights. There are photos from his graduation ceremony and various other work-related events sitting on the living room shelves; a couple of his favorite designs hanging neatly on a metal grid on the wall on top of his queen bed; and some polaroid photos stuck here and there. 

It’s the perfect place for him. The neighbors are always nice, and he has a friendly relationship with the landlord. He’s the ideal tenant too, always paying his bills on time and never causing too much trouble. 

He doesn’t welcome a lot of people to his place, and the few who have been didn’t linger, anyway.

Except for his best friend.

Sehun first laid his eyes on Chanyeol in a bar near his university. After having his ass kicked by sophomore year-end exams, he figured going out with the pink-haired guy he swiped right on would be the best way to unwind. 

The date went smoothly. He learned that Chanyeol recently graduated and aspired to work as a composer, and that he really wanted to visit Japan, write songs, and just have a good time. Chanyeol was goofy and sweet and laughed at all of Sehun’s jokes (their humor aligned freakishly well.) 

Drinks were on Chanyeol, so Sehun offered to drive him home. 

_(“Seriously? A Benz?” the older snorted, almost hitting his head on the door frame. “Can you get any more pretentious?”_

__

__

_Sehun’s eye rolled on instinct, “Just get in!”)_

All was well until Sehun was on his date’s couch, waiting for something Chanyeol seemed excited to show him. And when he came back from his room, dressed in a very hairy, orange costume with the head of a fox instead of where his actual head should be, Sehun was losing it.

_(“What do you think?! I’m Nick Wilde!”_

__

__

_“Okay, look, you’re totally valid,” Sehun was trying really hard to hold his laughter in. “But this isn’t it, dude.”_

_Chanyeol took his head piece off in an instant, looking offended, “Did you just dude-zone me?”_

_“Do I **look** like someone who’d date a furry?”)_

Somehow, they moved on from that and decided they’d just rather be friends. And, boy, are they great friends. Now, Chanyeol is sitting comfortably next to Sehun on his couch, his sturdy legs stretched all the way to the coffee table in front of him.

“Dude, you’re overthinking.” states Chanyeol as he flips through the TV. “What if it turns out to be a decent person?!” 

After Sehun ranted about his conversation with Joonmyun to Chanyeol over the phone, he decided to come over and “provide moral and emotional support.” Sehun told him there was no need, that he would just decline, but Chanyeol, being the good friend that he is, insisted, adding that he had to show him a new song he was working on and that he missed Vivi.

The younger didn’t really feel up for discussing said date. He was naturally stubborn, but he knows with enough persuasion and nagging, his strong will would break. 

Sehun sinks further into the couch. “But what if it doesn’t? You have to consider both outcomes.”

“Oh, look at you not listening to your own advice.”

“My own advice doesn’t apply to me because I am a dumbass.”

Chanyeol laughs at that. “You’re gonna end up forty and alone.”

“At least I’ll have Vivi.” He coos and pets his dog, who immediately runs from the bedroom and onto Sehun’s lap at the mention of his name. If there’s anything he cares about more than himself, it’s his little baby bichon. “Aren’t you, baby? What do you say I spend the weekend with you? Hmm, what about going for a trim? You’re so fluffy and big now!”

“God, you are such a loser,” scoffs Chanyeol. But then his expression changes, like a light bulb just went off in his brain, “Wait, is this because of Jongin?”

Sehun stiffens at the name, and his look turns bitter. His ‘encounter’ with Jongin wasn’t too recent, but it was his last (so far.) “Um, n—”

“Because if it is, that’s totally valid, man—but you have to get out of that zone, you know? You can’t just do nothing and expect it all to go aw—”

“Hyung!” Sehun’s voice is a pitch higher, putting a stop to his friend’s unnecessary ramble. “It’s not, okay?”

The pain he feels is faint and he finds that most of it is replaced by some form of closure; he got to meet and know someone he admired, and maybe that was enough.

Chanyeol gives him an apologetic look and places his hand on Sehun’s shoulder, squeezing a little in an attempt to comfort him. “That’s alright. I just wanted you to know that that’s okay too.” 

“I know, but I’m over it.” Sehun sighs, grabbing a treat from the bag next to him and holding it out for his dog. They respect each other’s boundaries and trust in each others’ word, so Chanyeol seems to let it go. 

“And if I’m a loser, then what are you?” With that, they fall back into their playful dynamic easily again.

“Wow, you are so mean. Give me some respect!” Chanyeol pouts, faking hurt. He looks adorable, his hair black and almost covering his eyes, almost like a puppy. “Maybe the problem isn’t your date, it’s you.”

“That’s very rich coming from the guy who asked me what I think of his fursuit the first time we met.” 

“I just wanted another opinion!” Chanyeol flails his arms in retaliation to Sehun’s comment, almost slapping him. “It’s my second-best purchase, after my guitar of course,” he states, proud with a glint of happiness in his eyes.

The memory is vivid in Sehun’s mind. It was a warm, summer day and Chanyeol saved up enough money to buy himself an electric guitar. So, of course, the first thing he did was call his friend to accompany him, claiming it was because he trusts in his artistic point of view so much. After dragging him from shop to shop, he finally settled on one with a turmeric colored base and columns of little red hearts all over the body.

Chanyeol stands up and picks up his precious instrument from its bag. He then grabs a pair of thick, clear-rimmed glasses, a notebook, and a pencil. 

“What…” Sehun trails off, watching him digging the stuff out of his backpack, “are you doing?”

“I’m going to write a song about how much of a loner you are.”

“Oh my god,” Sehun snorts, “please stop or I’ll kick you out.”

The glint in Chanyeol’s eyes and his mischievous smile tell Sehun that he’s absolutely serious about this, and having experienced the consequences of going against Chanyeol, he knows that he’s not going to stop until Sehun agrees to go on said date.

“Introducing Sehunnie the Hermit, he prefers to live in seclusion, no boyfriend, has two friends—” 

“Please.”

“—and he’s probably gonna end up rotting in his solitude—”

“Fine!” exclaims Sehun, “I’ll...”

Chanyeol gazes at him expectantly, mouth hung a little and Sehun realizes that the nagging is starting to get to him. “I’ll think about it.”

“Not the answer I wanted, but,” The older tries to stifle his smile, already seeming to know the younger’s going to end up doing it. “Fair enough.”

Sehun feels a little defeated, so he pouts, “It’s all gonna be in front of Joonmyun-hyung and his boyfriend! God, if this sucks, I wouldn’t be able to live with the embarrassment.”

“I bet it won’t. Hyung’s a nice guy, and I trust that his boyfriend is a decent person too, which means his ‘certain friend’ will probably be cool, too.” Chanyeol snickers as he ruffles Sehun’s hair. “Besides, I am your worst first date, and I will not allow anyone to dethrone me.”

“Yeah,” Sehun chuckles and thinks he really needs a trim. “you really were something.”

Later that night when he’s alone again, he sends a text to Joonmyun, asking about the details of the date. Just out of curiosity, he tells himself. It’s not like it’ll work out anyways. Blind dates never do.

Joonmyun texts back fairly quickly, telling him nothing has even been planned because he never thought Sehun would even be interested, but that it'll most probably be at a restaurant near their workplace. Sehun blows out his cheeks, feeling a little relieved.

 

 

The next day, Tuesday, Sehun receives the file he dropped on the secretary’s table back. He’s sat at his desk in his office when Kyungsoo approaches him that morning. 

Despite having no sense of fashion at all, Kyungsoo has been working as the head assistant at the company for as long as Sehun can remember. Though an efficient worker, he’s always had that indifferent look on his face which makes it hard for Sehun to predict what he comes to his office for. Sure enough, it’s the same when he relays to the young designer the things the directress said he needs to work on again.

“Seriously?!” Sehun exclaims angrily as he skims through the papers, eyes going a little darker every time he spots a big, red circle. “I milked out every last bit of creativity I had for this!”

“Don’t tell her I told you this, but,” Kyungsoo tries to speak through the giggles erupting from his small frame, “she said it was too...whore-ish.”

Sehun is about to throw a fit when the door opens, revealing Joonmyun. Kyungsoo, whose back is to the door, freezes up, but immediately relaxes when he hears his boss’ cheerful voice. 

“Good morning, boys!” he greets them, face still as beaming as it was yesterday, but this time it doesn’t ease Sehun’s worries. Kyungsoo bows and leaves them alone. Joonmyun takes a seat on one of the chairs in front of Sehun’s desk and, now concerned after acknowledging Sehun’s defeated state, notices the mess of marked papers. “Oh, no… what’s this?”

“My failures, apparently!” Sehun’s brows are furrowed. “I can’t take this anymore! That marketing guy is really getting in the directress’ head! Are they screwing? I worked so hard on this! How can she just—”

“Sehunnie, your voice.” Joonmyun warns softly. He’s so used to him; sometimes Sehun forgets Joonmyun’s still his boss. “I looked over them yesterday after you left, and your designs were flawless. I’ll talk to her later today about them and see what exactly is her problem.”

“You will?” The younger’s eyes are suddenly prickling with tears and he can’t do anything to stop it. The older nods, managing a small smile. “Thank you.”

“It’s okay.” Joonmyun catches the glint in his eyes. “Oh my god, are you crying?”

Sehun sniffles, frantically reaching for a tissue. “No.” 

“You’re totally tearing up right now.”

“I’m just really stressed.” Sehun sighs, laying his arms and head flat on the table. “Everything’s becoming too much.”

Joonmyun stands up from his seat and moves so he’s standing behind Sehun, placing his hands on the younger’s tense shoulders and massaging them softly. Still, Sehun doesn’t feel a tiny bit relieved. “That’s okay. You can take the day off if you want.”

“Thank you, hyung.” The younger takes him up on the offer immediately; he’s not sure he can handle being in this negative space for one more second. “That sounds like a good idea.”

 

On his way to his car, Sehun’s attention is caught by an odd pair of girls. They’re occupying an outdoor table of a restaurant, opposite to where Sehun’s car is parked so he can see them through his windshield. He gets into his car quietly and watches while the engine warms up.

The first thing that puzzles him is why in the heavens are they sitting outside when it’s cold as fuck; the other thing is their appearances. One of them is a dark-haired girl dressed in a black sweater and jeans with hints of silver jewelry. She’s smiling, almost too happy for someone dressed so darkly, while talking animatedly with the other girl. A brunette with a rather soft expression dressed in a floral shirt and a grey skirt, who is listening intently and trying to keep up with the other’s excitement, eyes grinning through it all.

He feels like a creep analyzing them like this and tries to clear his conscience by telling himself it was in the name of fashion, which is partly true. He comes up with a couple of ideas on the spot, but mostly he wonders how they get along when they look like polar opposites. 

His question is answered when the cheerful one places her hand on top of the other’s, their fingers slowly intertwining. And then it clicks.

A dark sentiment creeps up Sehun’s chest and makes him gag a little. The longer his eyes are fixed on them, the blurrier the lines between contentment and envy get. That overwhelming hunger is back with a twist he thought he could avoid.

Sehun tries to swallow the ugly feelings festering inside of him throughout the drive home, and tries even harder not to think about how much he desires a loving gaze upon him, or a warm embrace to throw himself into. He also learns that no matter how deeply he buries these feelings, they’ll eventually sprout.

In his state of resentment, he pulls over, grabs his phone and starts typing.

_“You want a double date? Well you’re getting it! Text me the details.”_

As soon as he arrives home, Sehun makes a beeline to his bed. Despite not being physically tired, his emotions have worn him out; once he manages to stop the torrent of his tears from soaking his pillow, his consciousness ebbs away. 

He wakes several hours later due to his phone dinging several times with notifications from Joonmyun.

_“Wah. Is this Oh Sehun I’m talking to?”_

__

_“Well it was supposed to be this weekend but since we’re both free for the rest of the week (yes ur off, boss is back to her senses) it’s tomorrow!!!!”_

_“I picked one of the restaurants in our area so hopefully you’ll feel more comfortable. Dress nice! Baekhyun told me this guy is easy to please but he could get judge-y”  
“[location attached]”_

_“I always dress nice”_

_“Shut up”  
“Be there at 5” _

Sehun opens the attachment and, ironically enough, finds out that it’s the same restaurant he spotted the couple at. Despite his immediate eye roll at the realization, a small flower of hope blooms in his chest. He’s doubtful, but maybe someday he could have something like they do, too.

The timestamp on top of his screen reads 9:42 PM and he decides it’s too early to go back to sleep. 

Sehun’s stomach grumbles, prompting him to look up the restaurant and check out their menu. He’s delighted at the fact that it’s a Chinese place and even more so when he spots the words _hot pot_ and _kung pao chicken._

The more Sehun thinks about his mystery date, the more he’s scared it’ll end up sitting on the pile of his failed romances. Sehun’s nerves make him want to back out from it as much as he wants to get it over with. He really can’t wait to go back to his peaceful state of isolation.

He hates that his impulse made that decision for him, but there’s no going back now. If it works out, it works out. And if it doesn’t, well at least the food would’ve been worth it.

 

 

The following evening finds Sehun’s standing in front of the Chinese place, his car parked nearby and his tired face flourished with makeup, feeling a little nervous. He swallows before he pushes open the door, so caught up in his thoughts that he doesn’t notice the air conditioning blowing some strands of his hair onto his face. 

The place is huge and the lighting is a little bit dim, making it harder to spot the princely face he’s looking for. His eyes roam for a bit, instead landing on someone who’s obviously not Joonmyun. He’s alone, too. Not his date either.

A maroon-haired man is hunched over his hot pot. He’s not sitting too far from where Sehun is standing which makes it easier to observe him, a habit which Sehun finds himself doing a lot as of late.

He’s dressed in a tight, black sports turtleneck that highlights his slim but muscular arms and shoulders. His bangs sit prettily right on top of his full eyebrows, framing soft almond eyes that are sharply lined, eyelids glittering. His cheeks are pink and full from eating fervently, creating a contrast Sehun doesn’t really know how to describe, but it interests him further. 

A loud laugh tears his attention away from the stranger and back onto the crowd. Sehun feels his cheeks heat up from catching himself studying him like this, but how could he deny himself the sight of such a beautiful person? He feels tempted to just sit on the chair across his.

He hears the laugh again, and this time his ears trace the source. Byun Baekhyun, sitting right next to Kim Joonmyun and, facing them both at the table, an anonymous third person. He can’t see him, but Sehun assumes he’s his date.

Sehun’s in a bit of a dilemma right now; right there are the people who he agreed to meet, who are expecting him to show up, and there’s this really pretty guy who he’s probably never going to see again.

Sehun hates disappointing people, so he takes two, three, four steps towards his friends. His date’s position shifts, making his side profile visible to Sehun from this distance. And it’s too unmistakable, it makes Sehun a little sick to recognize Jongin so quickly.

The panic races through his nerves faster than lightning, with a second bolt of anxiety threatening to strike.

Sehun convinced himself that he’s over him, and he is, but seeing Jongin’s small smile, the same one he gave Sehun when he refused him, makes him want to put as much distance between them as possible. 

He tries to step back, but finds himself frozen in place. Sehun stands in the middle of the restaurant, his mind already disengaged from the idea of spending an evening with his ex-almost-boyfriend.

His body does him a favor and retraces his steps before his brain can properly function again. Sehun’s legs carry him closer and closer to the stranger’s table. And when he’s trespassed into the man’s personal space, his face suddenly appearing angelic under the light, Sehun just thinks _fuck it._

“Is this seat….” Sehun stammers, fiddling with his hands, “perhaps not taken?” 

The man’s attention shifts from his pot to Sehun, and he notices that he has to arch his neck a little to view Sehun properly. A couple of seconds pass by in silence until one of his thick eyebrows raise, and he’s probably wondering what the fuck is this tall idiot doing, because Sehun asks himself the same. 

Sehun silently begs the man to let him have this, because he doesn’t feel like letting this evening go to waste. Just when Sehun is about to apologize and leave, he hears him speak. “....No?”

His voice is so high, and Sehun thinks about how cute it sounds as he pulls the chair out and sits down.

Obviously, he didn’t think this through, and the poor guy probably feels very awkward with Sehun imposing on him like this. His eyes go back and forth between his almost-finished hot pot and Sehun’s face, not sure what to do.

They begin an introduction at the same time and Sehun, being an absolute gentleman, lets him go first with a nod of his head, at the same time giving himself a chance to come down from the tiny panic attack he just had.

“I’m Kim Minseok.” Sehun notices that both his index fingers faintly point to himself while he says it, and then they point to Sehun. “And you are?”

It’s adorable, and he can’t hold back his smile as he slowly forgets the recent conundrum. “Oh Sehun.”

“Oh Sehun-ssi...” Kim Minseok squints his eyes at him. “Have we met before?”

“Hm, no?” He holds back a cheesy compliment about how even if they did, he’d never forget a face like his. “I’m sure this is the first time i’ve seen you. How could we have?”

“Oh then, I’m probably mixing up faces. It’s been a long day.” Kim Minseok sighs then brings a spoonful of soup to his lips, licking them after he swallows it. Despite what he just said, he doesn’t look tired at all. Sehun thinks it’s probably the light layer of concealer that’s slightly creasing under his eyes. “I just figured that if you recognized me enough to sit at my table then you probably were one of my clients. It’s a shame, though.

“I’m a makeup artist.” Kim Minseok clears up the confusion on Sehun’s face as quickly as it appears, but some of it lingers.

“Why exactly is that a shame?”

“Oh,” Kim Minseok looks like he wants to curl into himself for letting on too much. “you just have a really pretty face.”

Sehun is taken aback by the sudden compliment, his cheeks heating up a little. He feels less of a weirdo now for pretty much eye-fucking Kim Minseok earlier.

“Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself,” Sehun teases with a smile, all thoughts of his friends a couple of tables down flying out the window, because Kim Minseok finds him pretty too. 

“Actually, you look quite young to have enough clients to forget about.” This earns him a chuckle from the apparent artist. “How long have you worked in this field, Kim Minseok-ssi?”

“Officially? Only a couple of years.” He smiles softly and his eyes light up. It’s cute. “But I’ve loved it all my life. I’ve been applying lipstick for as long as I could breathe.” Now it’s Sehun’s turn to laugh.

“What about you?” Kim Minseok’s eyes are curious, and Sehun just wants to fill him in on his entire life.

“I’m a fashion designer,” he states proudly, quickly peeking in Joonmyun’s direction. “I’ve always loved it as well. I was always that kid who showed up with a new twist to their uniform everyday at school. Ah, the countless times I’ve been sent to the principal’s office.” Kim Minseok giggles at his story, unaware of the effect it has on Sehun. “Obviously, I ended up majoring in that field. And I’ve been working with the company I’m in since I graduated.”

“How long ago was that? Your graduation?”

Sehun thinks. “Almost two years?” Four years of college, one year of internship, two years of work. It should’ve felt longer but for some reason it’s all a fast blur in his mind.

“So you were born ‘94?” Kim Minseok calculates the years impressively fast, or maybe Sehun is worse at math than he thought he was. There’s a hint of awe in his eyes that disappears as fast as Sehun nods. He ignores it and decides to focus on his smile instead. “You’re young.”

One of Sehun’s skills is that he catches onto things quickly, so he doesn’t have to try hard to appear unfazed by the age difference that seemed to affect the man facing him. Because it really doesn’t bother him. If anything, it gives him more of an excuse to act like a baby.

“Well, since we don’t know each other, why are you sitting at my table, Oh Sehunnie?”

Sehun can’t help but melt at the use of the nickname. Across from him, Minseok is trying to hide his blooming pink cheeks by bringing his hands to them, his elbows resting on the table.

“You’re alone.” Sehun shrugs, acting nonchalant despite his eyes involuntarily peeking at his friends’ table. Everything seems to be normal. “I just saw you and I thought, ‘why not?’”

It’s true, if you ignore the fact that it was yet another impulsive decision fueled by anxiety. 

Minseok catches on to his facade and reciprocates. “So, you do this often? Crash random people’s dinner nights?”

Sehun rides a new wave of confidence and leans in with his arms on the table, so that he’s only a foot away from Minseok when he whispers. “Only the cute ones.”

“Do you say that to all of them?” Minseok challenges, his eyes mirroring the hint of mischief in Sehun’s.

“Hmm, let me think.” Sehun places a hand under his chin and pretends to think about the zero times a stranger has captivated him like this. “No, just you, Kim Minseok-ssi.”

They stay like that for a couple of seconds, both looking at each other until Minseok breaks eye contact to hide a smile. Sehun is so endeared by the man in front of him. He only wishes he could freeze this moment somehow. 

They’re brought back to their senses when Sehun’s phone buzzes suddenly. He leans back into his own space, and with one glance to his friends’ table, he knows it’s Joonmyun calling him, and as his worried eyes start looking around, Sehun ducks his head and tries to become one with his chair. 

The longer his phone keeps ringing, the more he wants to freak out. He decides for a moment and puts his phone on silent mode, then gives Minseok a not-so-reassuring smile. “It’s just work.”

“You can take it.” He nods in Sehun’s direction, offering a curt smile. “It might be important. You never know in this line of work! I’ve had big clients contact me at the weirdest times.”

“I will be back to hear about that.” Sehun conveys his apology on his face, but he’s so relieved that Minseok is being so nice. “Thank you. I won’t be long.”

He hurries to the men’s room and answers his phone after checking if it’s empty. He doesn’t even get a chance to say hello before getting attacked with Joonmyun’s whisper-yelling. “Sehun! Whatever you do, Do. Not. Come. Jongin is your blind date! I was so shocked! If I had known I wouldn’t have set this whole thing up!”

“I’m actually already here. Meet me in the bathroom.” Sehun hangs up, stands by the sink and checks himself in the mirror while waiting, occasionally taking a deep breath to calm himself. 

“Hey,” Joonmyun appears minutes later looking like a mix of surprised and sorry. “I honestly really hoped you wouldn’t be able to make it, even though I knew you’d keep your end.”

Sehun snorts, damn his loyalty. “It’s fine. I saw him before it was too late.” 

“It didn’t even occur to me to ask Baekhyun who your date would be, because I never expected this!” Joonmyun exclaims, grabbing a tissue from the dispenser and wiping the sweat on his forehead. “How do they even know each other? They’re like, on opposite sides of the work field!”

Joonmyun pauses suddenly, his eyes squinting in question. “Hey, why didn’t you just leave then? You could’ve just texted me or something.”

Sehun knows he’ll have to tell Joonmyun anyway, but he would honestly rather not. Perhaps because he’s too proud to admit someone actually caught his eye and made him want to come out of his shell, or maybe because his whole being contradicted itself, making decisions one after another without any thought. He’s not rash or reckless, yet everything he’s done the past couple of days disproves that, and it makes him flustered.

Sehun hangs his head, his cheeks heating up a little. “Actually, I...kinda am on a date with someone else, but it's not really a date, either.”

Joonmyun’s eyes almost bulge out of his face. “Now?! Right now?!”

“Yes, right now. I saw him first and I was really tempted to introduce myself, but I promised you I would show. Then I saw Jongin and...I don’t know what happened after. It’s like a magnet was pulling me to himt!” Sehun's reminded of the eyes he wants to look into again so badly. “I’ll tell you all about it later because I’ve been here for like, ten minutes and I should’ve already been back to him by now.”

“You are so full of surprises, Sehun.” 

Sehun half-smiles and tries to inch closer to the door. “Hey, I’m sorry you have to do this whole date thing by yourself. It must be really awkward.”

“No, it’s okay. It’d probably be more awkward if you were there.” Joonmyun smiles and his soft pats on Sehun’s shoulder ease his mind. “Now, go get whoever you’re on a ‘date-that’s-not-really-a-date’ with.”

Sehun’s already out the door, not wanting to waste another second, but Joonmyun’s shout has him turning his head. “Wait! Am I supposed to tell them you magically disappeared or something?”

“Um, dental emergency!” Sehun blurts out and the last thing he sees before the door shuts completely is Joonmyun’s confused face. “It always works!”

However, when Sehun returns he doesn’t find the petite figure sitting at the table anymore. He stands absolutely dumbfounded for a few seconds. Was it something he said? Should he have not taken that call? It didn’t seem like he minded though, so what went wrong?

Sehun has no idea. If this was the old, boring Sehun, he wouldn’t have dwelt on it. He would’ve gone home, hated himself, then forgot about it. But this new, spontaneous Sehun—a side of himself he's beginning to like, against the odds—came so close to breaking free from his cycle of isolation, and he’s definitely not going to let it go. 

He’s out of the restaurant in a flash. His heart is pounding as he scans the outdoor table area quickly, eyes instinctively double checking a familiar table. He rushes past it towards the parking lot and— _bingo_. The only car with its headlights on and backing out of the driveway is a Range Rover, and if he squints he can see a man in the driver’s seat. Once again, Sehun moves before he knows it and finds himself standing in front of the passenger door of Minseok’s car, his heavy breath fogging up the clean glass as he knocks on it softly. 

Shocked eyes meet desperate ones through the transparent surface. A cold breeze blows by and it has Sehun—given the slightly sweaty state he’s in—shivering. Sehun wouldn’t blame Minseok if he told him to go away, but to his surprise, he doesn’t. The driver blinks a couple of times before slowly pressing down on a key that rolls the window down, never once taking his eyes off Sehun, as if he blinks one more time he’ll disappear.

He snaps back though, and turns his head to make sure he presses the button that unlocks his car. “You should probably get in. It’s cold.”

Despite the plainly stated offer, Sehun climbs in hesitantly, like he’s not sure he’s allowed to be in Minseok’s space. The atmosphere feels tense, with both of them staring directly through the windshield. Nothing to fill the silence except Sehun’s slowly steadying breath. 

Minseok's car is surprisingly very neat, or maybe he's just realizing unlike him, some people don't have empty takeout boxes in their backseat. It smells nice too, all leather and a faint vanilla from the air freshener.

“You…” After Sehun has stopped panting, breath still a little hitched, he musters up some courage. “left.”

“I waited for you.” Sehun can’t quite meet his eyes, but Minseok’s words are tinged with something like dismay. “I didn’t mind but then you took too long and considering how we just met, and under odd circumstances at that, I assumed you ran off somewhere...so, yeah, I left.”

Sehun finally has a chance to think about how strange this all has been, how one thing led to another, and how him sitting in a more or less stranger’s car means he’s finally ready to admit to himself that he’s sick of being alone. But more than that, he’s ready to be honest with Minseok.

“You’re right, and I'm sorry.” Sehun takes a deep breath and turns slightly to face the other man. “I was actually here for a blind double date set up by my friend and his boyfriend. And due to multiple ‘bad’ experiences, I thought this would be hopeless. 

“Even though I really didn’t want to be there, I couldn’t just ditch my friend, but that didn’t stop me from waiting by the door just hoping if I stood there long enough I wouldn’t have to do this. That’s when I saw you.”

Finally, Minseok turns his head so he’s looking at Sehun. He’s even prettier from this distance, and it feels rewarding to get to look at his face again. 

“I just felt... really drawn to you. You looked beautiful and the shimmer on your eyelids was glowing which is really pretty, by the way. Is it okay if you do my makeup for me sometime?”

Sehun’s eyes go wide and so do Minseok’s, but he chuckles and gives in, erasing any doubts Sehun had about sounding creepy. “Sure, maybe.”

He feels relieved enough for his nerves to calm a little. “Anyways, I thought, I'm already here, why not just get it over with? So, I tried to ignore you and walk away but when I got close enough to the table, I found out my blind date is someone I had an aforementioned 'bad’ experience with!”

Sehun’s pitch raises as he exclaims, eyebrows furrowed and his mouth slightly open, and Minseok mimics it perfectly, even gasping softly at the last sentence. He just might be the cutest person Sehun has ever seen, even when he's supposed to be irritated.

“The person who called me was my friend and I asked him to meet me in the bathroom where I tried to explain this whole situation so I could get back to you as fast as I could.” Sehun cringes a little at his own words. Why is honesty so cheesy? “And for the record, I technically didn't lie to you since said friend also happens to be my boss.

“What I said was true, though.” Sehun's cheeks warm up at the memory of calling Minseok cute, and how close they were. “I’ve never done this before, and I'm sorry if I ruined your night with some uncalled-for 'date.’”

“You call this a date, Oh Sehun?” Minseok scoffs, almost looking offended. “I will not have our first date be...whatever that was.” 

“Oh,” Sehun tries to hide his shock by teasing, but he's truly lost for words. “first date, huh? You're really something, Kim Minseok-ssi.”

“Yes.” Minseok’s looks away shyly, his voice barely above a whisper. Sehun finds it adorable how he's confident one second and timid the next. He's lost count of the times he thought that, and at this point, Sehun just really wants to kiss him. 

“Thanks for being honest, though.” He snaps back to reality when Minseok gives him a small smile. What was he thinking? “I really appreciate it.” 

Alas, the thought of pressing his lips against Minseok’s already occurred to him and the new, spontaneous Sehun might just go for it. 

“Yeah…” His eyes unconsciously travel to Minseok's glossy lips, but he catches himself in the act, averting his eyes to the steering wheel. He hopes the lack of proper lighting would keep Minseok from noticing the blush creeping up his cheeks. “It's alright. I just didn't want to upset you or anything.”

Wait, they weren't glossy before. He must’ve applied a lip balm or something. Their faces are already so close, one more look surely won't hurt, just to make sure.

“You're terrible at being subtle.” Sehun's heart starts racing at the—very true—statement. Oh, god, did he catch him? “Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Wha—” Sehun doesn't get to explain himself, because Minseok rolls his eyes and then closes the distance between them.

It _is_ lip balm, and his lips taste like strawberry, so sweet Sehun can't get enough. He closes his eyes and places a hand on the back of Minseok’s warm neck, pulling him closer. It must've been a little cold, because Minseok's whole body shivers under his touch.

Sehun eventually breaks the kiss to catch his breath, but he doesn't move an inch farther from him, their foreheads and noses softly pressed together. His heart feels like it's going to burst out of his chest and he can't think straight.

“Honestly, it's amazing how your breath doesn't smell like you just had hot pot.” He laughs, throwing out the first thing he could think of.

It earns him a head bump from Minseok and he lets out a surprised yelp. He's smiling, though, and his cheeks are so red. Sehun wonders if he feels as happy as he does right now. “Ever heard of tic-tacs?”

“Maybe.” The pain is mild, but it doesn't stop him from teasing Minseok further. “Also, can I stop calling you Kim Minseok-ssi, now?” 

That earns him another eye roll, but this time it's followed by a light kiss, though no less sweeter than before. “Sure.”

**Author's Note:**

> hello!!! if you made it until here, thank you so much for reading! i'd also like to thank my wonderful gf who beta'd this for me because this wouldn't be as good as it is without her, my friends who cheered me on, and the mods for being so nice!! this was so much fun to write and i hope i did this prompt justice and that the prompter likes it. of course, feedback is always appreciated!!
> 
> p.s. i know nothing about fashion designing/modeling other than what i've seen on project runway, antm, and some research lmao so i'm sorry if anything is weird >.<
> 
> twitter: @shumin !! ♡♡♡


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